ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

J.B. Pritzker, Governor | illinois.gov

Wildlife Illinois

Hunt Planner

Announcements

Apply now for a Deer Firearm/Muzzleloader Permit!

Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area

Site Contact Info

Site Characteristics

  • Huntable acres: 7,000
  • Habitat: the site is a typical bottomland complex of sloughs, backwater lakes, timbered ponds, and bottomland timber comprised largely of willow, maple and cottonwood. There are approximately 60 waterfowl blind sites and approximately 500 acres that are open to walk-in hunting. Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site
  • Digital Map
  • Printable Map

Site Specific Regulations

  • All statewide hunting regulations apply at site unless noted hereafter.
  • Site requires use of windshield card for all species except ducks and geese, displayed on vehicle dashboard, to report hunting effort and harvest by 15 February.
  • Use Hunt Planner to find hunting seasons open at this site.
  • Blinds are allocated on an annual drawing.
  • No hunting in posted refuge, waterfowl rest areas or within 300 feet of any legal waterfowl blinds or areas posted as closed to deer hunting, unless otherwise noted.
  • It shall be unlawful to trespass upon areas designated as waterfowl rest areas or refuges from 2 weeks prior to the start of regular duck season through the close of regular duck and Canada goose season
  • No person shall trespass on the Barkhausen Refuge during the period from October 1 through end of goose season.
  • No person shall trespass on the Marion-Pickerel Waterfowl Refuge during the period from October 1 through the last day of the waterfowl season, unless prior permission for a specific reason (such as access to private land or to retrieve dead or wounded game) is granted by the site superintendent.
  • No hunting permitted from the walk-in area sub-impoundment levee.
  • Fishing is prohibited in the impoundment areas during the duck season, except that walk-in only access for fishing from the bank is permitted after 1:00 p.m.
  • Species-specific rules:

Deer

  • Ash Swale will be closed during the regular waterfowl season.
  • One non-piercing, portable tree stand or ground blind allowed per hunter. Tree stands and ground blinds may be left unattended from Sept 15 – Jan 31, but must be legibly marked with the owner’s name, address and telephone number, or a site assigned identification number.
  • Archery
    • Statewide regulations apply.
  • Firearm and Muzzleloader
    • Requires a special Sanganois SFWA permit allocated through the annual permit system
    • Hunters with a Sanganois SFWA permit wishing to hunt either Knapps Island or the Squirrel Timber must enter a daily drawing held one hour before legal shooting hours at the Chandlerville check station

Turkey

  • Spring
  • Fall Archery
    • Statewide regulations

Waterfowl

Upon the completion of hunting, hunters must report to the check station within one hour.

Duck Blinds and Youth Waterfowl

  • Blinds allocated by annual draw held on the last Sunday in July.
  • All hunters using this area must report to the check station to complete information cards and/or participate in draw for blind before proceeding to sites.
  • All hunting will be from registered blinds. Hunters must occupy sites within 1 hour after registering at the check station. All hunting will cease at 1 pm.
  • Registered builders (or partners desiring to claim their blinds) must report to the check station at least 1 hour prior to shooting time each day and occupy that blind for at least 1 hour. Hunters wishing to move to another blind during their daily hunt must report back to the check station for reassignment.
  • Upon vacating the blind sites, hunters must report to the check station within 1 hour. Hunters are required to check self out and record harvest at the check station.
  • During duck season, blinds not claimed by the builder or partners by one hour before hunting time shall be assigned by a drawing at this time and during the hours from 8:00 am to 11:00 am.
  • Once 4 hunters have occupied a blind, all original occupants of the blind must check out at the check station before any additional hunters may occupy that blind. Blinds may be reallocated on a first-come, first-served basis or, if multiple parties arrive at the check station at 8:00 a.m., there will be a second drawing, after which time the area shall be closed to additional hunters.
  • All parties must hunt over a minimum of 12 decoys of at least standard size.
  • Hunters 16 years of age and younger must be accompanied by a supervising adult.
  • Subject to special dates for youth waterfowl hunting made by Department public announcement
  • No more than 4 persons shall occupy a blind at one time, except during statewide Youth Waterfowl Hunting, 5 persons may occupy a blind at one time only if the party is comprised of 2 youth hunters, their non-hunting parents and one non-hunting guide.

Baker Unit

  • Lottery-draw walk-in area with 4 separate hunting compartments.
  • One party of hunters (up to 4 hunters per party) will be permitted to hunt in each hunting compartment.
  • An outdoor drawing will be conducted for this unit one hour and 15 minutes prior to legal shooting time. This will occur outside the garage door at the new metal building.
  • Open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
  • Social distancing must be adhered to until further notice.
  • Unit will be closed during the regular firearm deer season.
  • Unit will be open during the muzzleloader deer season and hunters are required to wear blaze orange while traveling to and from the site.
  • All hunting stops at 1:00 pm.

Walk-in Hunting

  • Hunters using the main walk-in hunting area from opening day of the Central Zone duck season through the first Sunday of the Central Zone duck season must have a permit issued from the site office. Procedures for issuance of permits will be publicly announced.
  • Hunters using the walk-in area shall use the check station at the headquarters area located 8 miles northwest of Chandlerville just off Route 78.
  • Walk-in waterfowl hunting shall be permitted only in the area posted for this purpose.
  • All hunters using a walk-in area must report to the check station to fill out information cards and to turn in hunting licenses or valid photo identification (example: Firearm Owner’s Identification Card, driver’s license) before proceeding to area.
  • Hunters may use boats without motors in the walk-in area; the construction and/or use of permanent blinds in the walk-in area is prohibited.
  • Topper’s Hole is a walk-in area accessed by boat only, no check-in, check-out, no permanent blinds, hunting parties must stay at least 200 yards apart, hunting parties shall hunt over no less than 6 decoys, daily hunting hours are legal shooting hours through 1:00 PM.
  • All hunting stops at 1:00 PM.

Teal

Goose

  • Check in and check out required.
  • Early Canada goose season follows statewide regulations
  • Hunting from a completed blind or staked site is waived during seasons held before the regular duck season or for seasons held after the regular Canada goose season.
  • When the Central Zone goose season extends beyond the duck season, goose hunting shall be permitted with statewide hunting hours in effect.
  • All hunting must be conducted within non-refuge areas.

Squirrels/Rabbits

  • Squirrels
    • Statewide regulations
    • Hunting with .22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearms, .25 caliber or smaller air rifles, or muzzleloading black powder rifles is allowed.
  • Rabbits
    • Statewide regulations
    • Non-toxic shot only

Upland Birds

  • Dove
    • Statewide regulations apply.
    • Non-toxic shot only
  • Quail/Pheasant
    • Statewide regulations
    • Non-toxic shot only
  • Woodcock, Snipe, and Rail
    • Statewide regulations
  • Crow
    • Opens day after Canada goose season closes through statewide closing.
    • Non-toxic shot only

Furbearers

  • Trapping
    • Statewide regulations apply for all furbearer species.
    • Trapping allowed by publicly announced drawing.
    • Only Egg Traps®, D-P (Dog-Proof) Traps®, Lil Grizz Get’rz®, box traps, cage traps, and traps of similar design may be used for land sets.
  • Hunting
    • Statewide regulations
    • Rimfire rifles .22 caliber and smaller may be used from sunset to sunrise.
    • Furbearer hunting closed during Firearm Deer Season
      • Hunters with a valid, unfilled firearm deer permit for the hunt area may take coyotes during legal hours of the firearm deer season. Otherwise, the use of shotgun slugs to take furbearing mammals is prohibited on state sites.
    • Coyote and striped skunk follow statewide season
    • Windshield Card required

Amenities